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Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
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Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is a 1957 Western starring Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday in a highly dramatized account of the infamous 1881 gunfight. The film also contains notable early acting roles for Dennis Hopper and Lee Van Cleef as well as actors who would become well known in television: Martin Milner (Malloy in Adam-12) and DeForest Kelley (McCoy in Star Trek). Director John Sturges would also explore the saga of Earp in 1967's Hour of the Gun.
The following weapons were used in the film Gunfight at the O.K. Corral:
Single Action Army
The Single Action Army is used throughout the film by several characters on both sides of the law, including all four Earp brothers - Wyatt (Burt Lancaster), Virgil (John Hudson), Morgan (DeForest Kelley), and James (Martin Milner). Doc Holliday (Kirk Douglas) arms himself with one when expecting trouble out on the trail and before the infamous gunfight.
Both Ike Clanton (Lyke Bettger) and Billy Clanton (Dennis Hopper) also carry Quickdraw Model SAA revolvers. Johnny Ringo (John Ireland) carries two SAA revolvers, tossing one to Doc in the hotel room. Cochise County sheriff Cotton Wilson (Frank Faylen), the film's stand-in for Johnny Behan, has a blued SAA holstered as does Dodge City deputy marshal Charlie Bassett (Earl Holliman). Tom McLaury (Jack Elam) takes a blued Single Action Army from his deceased brother Frank's (Mickey Simpson) holster during the gunfight. Other criminals packing SAAs include bank robber Richie Bell and "Shanghai" Pierce (Ted de Corsia), who carries a pearl-gripped SAA.
Harry (Bing Russell), the bartender at Shanssey's saloon in Fort Griffin, keeps a blued model behind the bar. Bing Russell is the father of Kurt Russell, who would go on to play Wyatt Earp in Tombstone.
Remington Model 1875 "Frontier"
Doc Holliday carries a nickel Remington Model 1875 "Frontier Model" with a 5.5" barrel and pearl grips. In real life, he preferred Colt revolvers and was known to carry both the double action .38 Lightning and .41 Thunderer as well as a Cavalry-length Single Action Army. The Remington appears to be Doc's "town" weapon, concealed in a holster under his left arm. When expecting trouble, he opts for a blued steel Single Action Army.
Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine
The anachronistic Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine also shows up among both the law and the criminals. Wyatt keeps a number of Winchester rifles in his offices both as Dodge City town marshal and as a Deputy U.S. Marshal in Tombstone. Doc Holliday (Kirk Douglas) has a Winchester '92 carbine when he and Wyatt go hunting for Richie Bell's gang. Frank McLaury (Mickey Simpson) is armed with a Winchester '92 carbine during the final gunfight.
Double-Barreled Shotgun
Wyatt Earp (Burt Lancaster) keeps a few double-barreled shotguns in both his Dodge City and Tombstone offices, including one that Doc Holliday (Kirk Douglas) handles before commenting that he doesn't care for them. Wyatt also joins his brother Virgil (John Hudson) in arming themselves with shotguns for the gunfight. In reality, it was Doc who carried the shotgun into the gunfight after it was lent to him by Virgil (who had, in fact, borrowed it from the local Wells Fargo office). Tombstone mayor John Clum (Whit Bissell) also carries one when leading the citizens' vigilance committee. All shotguns featured in the film have exposed hammers and full stocks.
Colt Buntline Special
Wyatt Earp (Burt Lancaster) briefly handles his legendary Colt Buntline Special, a specially-crafted Single Action Army with a 12" barrel supposedly made for him by Ned Buntline. Controversy surrounds the weapon in real life, but it is given mention in the film:
- Charlie Bassett: "Hey, where'd you get the new gun?"
- Wyatt Earp: "Buntline made it for me, special."
- Charlie Bassett: "Isn't the barrel too long?"
- Wyatt Earp: "No... good balance, just right."
Smith & Wesson Model 2
A drunken cowboy (Don Castle) who confronts Wyatt Earp (Burt Lancaster) in a Dodge City saloon carries a Smith & Wesson Model 2. After Wyatt calms the cowboy down, he takes the revolver and hands it to Charlie Bassett (Earl Holliman).
